


Midnight Chat

by SaberAltered



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Familial Relationship, Gen, late night chats with the cousin, pregnant!courier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 10:18:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14134023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaberAltered/pseuds/SaberAltered
Summary: Faustus can’t sleep the night before Hoover Dam. Neither can Nina.





	Midnight Chat

**Author's Note:**

> I have shit happening IRL that has been getting me nervous, so I wrote this to take my mind off of things/relieve some of that anxiety. It hasn’t been looked over. It isn’t great. And I don’t care.
> 
> But on the bright side, at least I’ve got something uploaded! Hooray!

Back in his Legion days, Faustus hardly had trouble sleeping before his battles. Like Vulpes, he would take a woman. It was good for relieving stress, and it had him out soon enough. But nowadays, that option didn’t present itself. Faustus was no longer a Legionary. So, tonight, he was stuck tossing and turning as his mind went over all the ‘what-ifs’.

Tomorrow, while the NCR and the Legion (or what remained of it) fight, Nina would slip inside the Control Room and take Hoover Dam for herself. The problem was, she would have to confront Lanius at some point. She was a smart woman, but Lanius was bigger and stronger. He could snap her in half if she wasn’t quick enough. And then there was the matter of her pregnancy.

Faustus climbed out of his bedroom with a groan. He threw on his tunica before making a beeline for Nina’s tent.

He poked his inside the tent to see his cousin sharing a bedroll with Vulpes, who was asleep (or pretending - there was no telling with him). The blanket was pulled up to Nina’s chest, and the air reeked of sex.

“Can’t sleep either?” Nina whispered.

Faustus ‘mmm’ed and shook his head. “Can we talk?”

“You’ll have to give me a minute.”

Faustus waited outside while his cousin dressed. She stepped out of the tent wearing one of her merc outfits, and led him over to a cliffside overlooking the Colorado river. They sat near the edge, and spent a few moments taking in the scene.

“I thought you hated Vulpes,” he said, breaking the silence.

“I do,” she clarified. “He was pestering me, and I needed a distraction.”

“I see,” Faustus said with a nod.

A beat passed before Nina spoke again.

“I’m not looking forward to dealing with the NCR. At least when we got rid of house, it was just me fighting a bunch of securitrons. Tomorrow you all are on the line.”

Faustus scoffed. “The NCR has nothing on you. I’m more worried about Lanius. He’s like, what? Twice your size?”

“According to an old friend of mine, Lanius won’t fight a losing battle,” she reassured him. “And he’ll shit himself once he sees the upgraded securitrons in action. If I can just...”

“Wait, which ‘old friend’ are we talking about?”

“His name’s Ulysses. Used to be a Frumentarius.”

“Oh, _him_. He was an odd one. Always going on about ‘history this’, and ‘history that’-“

Nina burst out laughing.

“... But at least he got shit done.”

“He hasn’t changed a bit,” Nina admitted once she recovered. “The whole time I was with him, he would drone on and on about the past, and I’d just nod, thinking ‘Are you done yet?’”

Faustus chuckled.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, history’s a fascinating subject, but my attention span only goes so far.” Nina paused for a beat. “Anyway, if I can convince Lanius that this ain’t a battle he wants to fight, then we’re good.”

“And if you don’t?”

“I’ll have Boone and Arcade watching my six. Worst case scenario, I’ll end up having a miscarriage. But I won’t die.”

“I’ll believe you when it happens,” Faustus said. He stood up, and held out a hand for Nina. “But at least you have some form of a plan,” he admitted as he helped Nina up.

“Thanks.” She grunted as he pulled her up.

She continued to speak as they made their way back to camp. “I just have to figure out what to do with the NCR. Right now, the plan consists of taking the diplomatic approach, and if all else fails, intimidate them with the securitron army. I’ll work out the specifics eventually.”

“Way to help my confidence,” Faustus replied drily. The camp was in view now.

“I mean, I took the... nevermind. It’s not something you’d wanna discuss anyway. ‘Night Armando.”

At least she didn’t go as far as to mention the fall of the Fort, and for that, Faustus was grateful. Those conversations would always escalate into a fight.

Instead, they went their separate ways, with Nina heading to her tent and Faustus heading towards his. Before he could duck inside, however, Nina called out for him. He turned his head to face her.

“ _Te quiero_ ,” she whispered.

It had been at least five years since anyone’s said that to him. Not to mention that it was the first time she’d said that to him ever. They’d hated each other as kids.

She was family, yes, but he wasn’t ready to return the sentiment to her. She had murdered Caesar, and ruined the Legion.

So he nodded instead. She seemed disappointed, but she’ll get over it eventually.

Faustus entered the tent feeling a tad lighter than before. At least Nina had something planned out. He just hoped she could talk Lanius down before things deteriorated.

He uttered a prayer for Mars to watch over her before settling back in. He’d just gotten his cousin back, and he’d be damned if he’d lost her again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
